The present invention relates to signs, and more specifically, to an improved sign particularly adapted to be used temporarily in various locations in an institutional building for the purpose of warning persons of potential hazards relating to ongoing maintenance work and the like being done in the vicinity of the sign.
In the past, a variety of different types of signs have been utilized in modern institutional buildings to warn persons of temporary, potentially hazardous situations resulting from maintenance work, construction work, etc. which was being done nearby. While these prior signs have generally satisfactorily performed their intended function, they have had several disadvantages. Most, if not all, of these prior signs were designed to be positioned or mounted on the floor. Consequently, these prior signs sometimes, themselves, constitute a hazard to passersby, and not infrequently, a person cleaning, e.g. mopping, the floor had to interrupt their cleaning operation and move the sign. In addition, these prior floor signs have tended to be relatively heavy and bulky, and this sometimes persented handling and storage problems.
It is a primary object of my present invention to provide an improved sign which is readily mounted and dismounted from the metal door frames found in most modern institutional buildings, which is particularly adapted to be used to warn passersby of temporary, potential hazards in the vicinity due to maintenance work and the like, which has a relatively lightweight and inexpensive construction and which may be quickly and easily assembled and disassembled for facile handling and storage. A further object of the present invention is to provide an improved sign which may be suspended at any selected height above the floor so that the sign, itself, does not present any safety hazards or an obstruction.
More specifically, the improved sign of my present invention includes a generally rectangular base member. Generally parallel, first and second surfaces are formed and arranged, in a back to back fashion, on the base member. The first surface is adapted to face the metal doorframe and the like when the sign is mounted on the doorframe. A magnet is secured to the first surface and is the means by which the base member is attached to the metal doorframe. A rod end holder is secured to the second surface adjacent to the lower end of the base member. This rod end holder is designed to selectively receive and hold one end of an elongated, telescoping rod so that when the one end of the elongated rod is being held by the rod end holder, the elongated rod projects from the second surface of the base member at an acute angle with respect to the second surface. The piece of material, having a cautionary warning message thereon, is mounted on the other end of the elongated rod. The piece of material has a hem along one of its ends, and the other end of the elongated rod is adapted to extend in and through the hem so as to mount the piece of material on the elongated rod.
Because of its simple design and construction, my improved sign may be manufactured at a relatively low cost as compared with the prior floor signs now in common usage. Similarly, my improved sign has a much lighter construction than the presently available floor signs.
As noted above, my improved sign may be easily and readily mounted to and dismounted from a metal doorframe commonly found in modern institutional buildings. Thus, my improved sign may be attached to a doorframe while maintenance or construction activity was being undertaken in the vicinity and then once the maintenance or construction activity has been completed, the sign may be readily removed from the doorframe without leaving any marks thereon.
Furthermore, my improved sign is designed so that the warning message will be positioned out away from the wall adjacent to the doorframe on which the sign is mounted so that it will be clearly visible to persons walking by without presenting any hazard itself and without being an obstacle that persons may trip over or have to work around.
These and other objects and advantages of my present invention will become apparent from the foregoing description of the preferred embodiment of my invention, described in connection with the accompanying drawing.